Signaling reduction in dual connectivity networks

Abstract

A base station of a dual connectivity cellular network is provided. The base station provides a first wireless connectivity of a first regulated wireless communication standard to a user equipment (UE) of a cellular network via a master node of the base station. User plane data is forwarded to the UE through the master node according to a first user plane path. The base station requests a secondary node to provide a second wireless connectivity of a second regulated wireless communication standard to the UE. When the master node is configured by a first configuration, the user plane data is forwarded to the UE through the secondary node according to the second user plane path that is established with the cellular network. When the master node is configured by a second configuration, the user plane data is forwarded to the UE through the secondary node according to the first user plane path.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A base station comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 a computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of computer-executable components that are executable by the one or more processors to perform a plurality of actions, the plurality of actions comprising: 
 providing a first wireless connectivity of a first regulated wireless communication standard to a user equipment (UE) of a cellular network via a master node of the base station, wherein user plane data is forwarded to the UE through the master node according to a first user plane path; 
 determining whether the master node and a secondary node are collocated at a same cellular tower of the base station; 
 requesting a secondary node to provide a second wireless connectivity of a second regulated wireless communication standard to the UE, wherein: 
 if the master node and the secondary node are not collocated at a same cellular tower of the base station, the user plane data is forwarded to the UE through the secondary node according to a second user plane path that is established with the cellular network; and 
 if the master node and the secondary node are collocated at a same cellular tower of the base station, the user plane data is forwarded to the UE through the secondary node according to the first user plane path. 
 
     
     
       2. The base station of  claim 1 , wherein the master node is configured by a first configuration if the master node and the secondary node are not collocated at a same cellular tower of the base station or if the first user plane path and the second user plane path are different. 
     
     
       3. The base station of  claim 2 , wherein the master node is configured by a second configuration if the master node and the secondary node are collocated at a same cellular tower of the base station. 
     
     
       4. The base station of  claim 1 , wherein control plane data is forwarded to the UE through the master node and the secondary node. 
     
     
       5. The base station of  claim 2 , wherein when the master node is configured by the first configuration, the user plane data is forwarded to the user equipment through the secondary node without going through the master node. 
     
     
       6. The base station of  claim 3 , wherein when the master node is configured by the second configuration, the user plane data is forwarded to the secondary node from the master node. 
     
     
       7. The base station of  claim 3 , wherein when the master node is configured by the second configuration, the master node does not communicate the second user plane path to the cellular network. 
     
     
       8. The base station of  claim 1 , wherein requesting the secondary node to provide the second wireless connectivity to the UE comprises providing information regarding the first user plane path and the UE to the secondary node. 
     
     
       9. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 providing a first wireless connectivity of a first regulated wireless communication standard to a user equipment (UE) of a cellular network via a master node of a base station, wherein user plane data is forwarded to the UE through the master node according to a first user plane path; 
 determining whether the master node and a secondary node are collocated at a same cellular tower of the base station; 
 requesting a secondary node to provide a second wireless connectivity of a second regulated wireless communication standard to the UE, wherein: 
 if the master node and the secondary node are not collocated at a same cellular tower of the base station, the user plane data is forwarded to the UE through the secondary node according to a second user plane path that is established with the cellular network; and 
 if the master node and the secondary node are collocated at a same cellular tower of the base station, the user plane data is forwarded to the UE through the secondary node according to the first user plane path. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the master node is configured by a first configuration if the master node and the secondary node are not collocated at a same cellular tower or when the first user plane path and the second user plane path are different. 
     
     
       11. The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein the master node is configured by a second configuration if the master node and the secondary node are collocated at a same cellular tower. 
     
     
       12. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein control plane data is forwarded to the UE through the master node and the secondary node. 
     
     
       13. The computer-implemented method of  claim 10 , wherein, when the master node is configured by the first configuration, the user plane data is forwarded to the secondary node without going through the master node. 
     
     
       14. The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein, when the master node is configured by the second configuration, the user plane data is forwarded to the secondary node from the master node. 
     
     
       15. The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein when the master node is configured by the second configuration, the master node does not communicate the second user plane path to the cellular network. 
     
     
       16. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein requesting the secondary node to provide the second wireless connectivity to the UE comprises providing information regarding the first user plane path and the UE to the secondary node. 
     
     
       17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of a computing device storing computer-executable instructions that upon execution cause one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
 providing a first wireless connectivity of a first regulated wireless communication standard to a user equipment (UE) of a cellular network via a master node of a base station, wherein user plane data is forwarded to the UE through the master node according to a first user plane path; 
 determining whether the master node and a secondary node are collocated at a same cellular tower of the base station; 
 requesting a secondary node to provide a second wireless connectivity of a second regulated wireless communication standard to the UE, wherein: 
 if the master node and the secondary node are not collocated at a same cellular tower of the base station, the user plane data is forwarded to the UE through the secondary node according to a second user plane path that is established with the cellular network; and 
 if the master node and the secondary node are collocated at a same cellular tower of the base station, the user plane data is forwarded to the UE through the secondary node according to the first user plane path. 
 
     
     
       18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the master node is configured by a first configuration if the master node and the secondary node are not collocated at a same cellular tower or when the first user plane path and the second user plane path are different, and 
 the master node is configured by a second configuration if the master node and the secondary node are collocated at a same cellular tower. 
 
     
     
       19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 18 , wherein:
 when the master node is configured by the first configuration, the user plane data is forwarded to the secondary node without going through the master node; and 
 when the master node is configured by the second configuration, the user plane data is forwarded to the secondary node from the master node. 
 
     
     
       20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 18 , wherein when the master node is configured by the second configuration, the master node does not communicate the second user plane path to the cellular network.